In machines that receive and dispense sheets of material, such as automated teller machines (ATM) that receive and dispense cash, checks, and other financial documents, accurate registration and alignment of the sheets, which are generally image receiving substrates, is needed to avoid problems such as paper jams, misidentification of image information on the sheets, improper dispensation of the number or type of new or recycled sheets, and damage to the sheets being handled by the machine. Existing machines may attempt proper alignment and registration of sheets being introduced into the machine by providing guide channels at a point of entry and rollers that pull each sheet into the machine and attempt to align an edge of each sheet along one or more of the guide channels. Errors in the alignment and registration of sheets may occur when sheets, such as cash, are damaged, or include creases, bends, torn edges, or other defects, particularly when the machine recycles and dispenses sheets that have been received. The large variation in sizes, rigidity, and quality of the different types of sheets that may be received and dispensed by the machines may also create problems when trying to construct the machines with universally acceptable guide channels or other existing means for aligning and registering sheets.
The term “sheet” as used in this disclosure is intended to cover any type of generally planar member or substrate being transported, such as a paper sheet, cash of various denominations, a plate of flexible or rigid material, cardboard, plastic, or the like, either individually or in overlying stacks.
The present disclosure is directed to addressing one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems associated with orienting and properly registering or aligning sheets that are handled by different machines.